Spreading film criticism all over the web

J. Edgar

OPENING: 11/09/2011

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

ACCOMPLICES: Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
The most powerful man in the world. The most boring biopic in history.

Opening Statement
As a lifelong political junkie, dramatized biopics — from the ridiculous (JFK) to the sublime (Frost/Nixon) — play right into my wheelhouse. Talented filmmakers feast on the bones of these high profile figures and deconstruct their careers for enlightenment and entertainment. So how do you go about tactfully criticizing Clint Eastwood? The man is a bona fide Hollywood legend who has crafted some incredible films. Sadly, J. Edgar isn’t one of them.

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Fright Night 3D

OPENING: 08/19/2011

STUDIO: Dreamworks Studios

RUN TIME: 106 min

ACCOMPLICES:
, Official Site

The Charge
You can’t run from evil when it lives next door

Opening Statement
Fright Night 3D is one of those horror remakes that probably didn’t need to happen. Regardless, it’s fun, creepy motion picture entertainment boasting a strong performance from Colin Farrell and some fairly nifty special FX. The 3D ain’t bad either.
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The Help

OPENING: 08/10/2011

STUDIO: Dreamworks Films

RUN TIME: 103 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Change begins with a whisper

Opening Statement
In 2009, the book The Help was released and spent more then 100 weeks on bestseller lists. It chronicled the fictional stories of Aibileen Clark, a poor African American lady who worked for rich, white families in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s. The book was written by Kathryn Stockett, a Caucasian lady who was inspired by an African American maid who worked for her family when she was a child. This, of course, drew lots of controversy. (What would she know about the experiences she’s writing about? Would this book and movie have gotten the same backing if a black person wrote it?) All of which goes to show that questions of racial equality are still alive and well today, and though we have an African American in the White House we still have not only a lot of callous people…but also a lot of exposed nerves.
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Rise of the Planet of the Apes

OPENING: 08/05/2011

STUDIO: Twentieth Century Fox

RUN TIME: 105 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Evolution Ends. Revolution Begins.

Opening Statement
Franklin J. Schaeffner’s Planet of the Apes (1968) remains a slightly flawed yet immensely enjoyable science fiction classic, but the franchise doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation. The sequels to the original film are all hit-and-miss to some degree, and the less said about Tim Burton’s wretched 2001 reboot, the better. As such, it was hard to work up much enthusiasm for yet another attempt at bringing the property back to life, but Rupert Wyatt’s awkwardly-titled Rise of the Planet of the Apes proves to be one of summer 2011′s surprise successes. Continue reading →

The Smurfs

OPENING: 07/29/2011

STUDIO: Columbia Pictures

RUN TIME: 86 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Where the Smurf are we?

Opening Statement
Long ago, a group of small blue humanoids called Smurfs invaded televisions every Saturday morning. They constantly sang a cheery song whose main lyrics were “la la la-la la la” and had adventures. Children were hooked immediately. Fast forward thirty years and those children are in the midst of re-discovering their childhoods. Sadly, it turns out some things are best left in the past.
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Attack the Block

OPENING: 07/29/2011

STUDIO: Studio Canal

RUN TIME: 88 min

ACCOMPLICES:
, Official Site

The Charge
Inner city vs. outer space

Opening Statement
The South London housing estates, or “blocks,” have always been a great place to stage a film, especially to a Yankee like me. When I think of London, I think of some place nice and clean and free of crime where you can walk down the alley after having a few pints at the local pub and not feel the least bit afraid of being accosted. However, films like last year’s Harry Brown have shown a new side to London; a seedy underbelly of corruption and crime that lies on the outskirts of that fantastical version of London I’ve dreamed up for myself. From what I’ve seen, South London is truly a scary place to not only live but especially to grow up, where the teens seem to have lost all hope and as such turn to the things people do when they lose hope: drugs, crime, violence, sex and more wanton, senseless brutal violence. Into this scenario we drop an alien invasion and there we have the set up for Attack the Block.
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Captain America: The First Avenger

OPENING: 07/22/2011

STUDIO: Paramount Pictures

RUN TIME: 125 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Avenge

Opening Statement
This summer’s quartet of comic book superhero blockbusters comes to a close with Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Fortunately, this final stepping stone on the way to Marvel’s The Avengers proves to be 2011′s most satisfying superhero flick.
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Horrible Bosses

OPENING: 07/08/2011

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

RUN TIME: 100 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Ever wish your boss were dead?

Opening Statement
Up until now, Seth Gordon has been best-known for his fascinating documentary The King of Kong. Now he makes his transition into traditional, mainstream filmmaking with the raunchy comedy Horrible Bosses, which proves to be one of the summer’s most entertaining comic outings in spite of its numerous flaws.
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Another Earth

OPENING: 07/20/2010

STUDIO: Fox Searchlight

RUN TIME:100 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Can the presence of another Earth be the thing that brings hope to two lost souls?

Opening Statement
Independent films rarely take on science-fiction. Reason is because sci-fi films usually require lots of money for sets and effects. On the other hand, having angsty conversations about your family is relatively cheap. When the genre is tackled, I have often enjoyed the results mostly because they tend to be deconstructions or re-imaginings of the sci-fi tropes and the films I’ve seen before. That is exactly what Another Earth is. The duo who wrote the film are the director and the main star, Mike Cahill and Brit Marling. In this film, they show us an amalgamation of two significantly individual films that, at times, are smashed together to good effect.
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Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop

OPENING: 06/24/2011

STUDIO: Magnolia Pictures

RUN TIME: 89 min

ACCOMPLICES: Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
He’s either a genius or the biggest dick in the world.

Opening Statement
Some people learn to be good performers while others are surely born to be in front of an audience. Late night talk show host Conan O’Brien not only falls into the latter category, but when it comes to being an entertainer he is a force of nature. Keeping him from the spotlight may be impossible. Between the end of his run on The Tonight Show and the start of his new talk show on TBS, O’Brien toured the U.S. and Canada with his comedy and music stage show. The documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop observes the comedian exercising his creativity and working out his anger on the road.

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